Pressure regulator



L WQSTETTNER v rnnssunm REGULATOR July 8, 1941.

Filed April 2a, 1939 INVENTOR. LUDWIG WSTETTNER B W I l l w M q.

ATTORNEY.

' Patented July 8, 1941' PRESSURE REGULATOR Ludwig W. Stettner, Piedmont, Calif., assignor to. I Victor Equipment (30., San Francisco, Calif a corporation of Delaware Application April 28, 1939, Serial No. 270,561

6 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic gas" pressure regulators of the type used for reducing the pressures of gases used in welding and cutting to maintain a working pressure, and the invention has for its principal object an improved construction in the specific type of such regulators in.

which gas under pressure is used instead of a spring, to balance the desired working pressure.

Features and advantages of the improvement will appear in the following description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a longitudinal central sectional view taken through one of my improved gas pressure regulators.

Figure 2 is' a similar sectional view tothat of Figure 1,-but showing the bonnet only of a modified form of the invention.

As the invention relates to the construction within or carried by the bonnet of the regulator, the description will be confined as much as possible to these particular features.

In Figure 1 the body of the regulator is designated I, the lower cap 2 which covers the valve mechanism, the bonnet 3, and the cap above the bonnet 4. 1

The bonnet 3 is secured to the body by cap against a tubular seat It, which leads to 'a low pressure chamber l5 which is always open to low pressure outlet 9.

Within the bonnet 3 is a chamber l6 which is separated from chamber l5 by a flexible diaphragm I! the margins of which are faced on opposite sides by flat gasket sealing rings l8 and clamped between the confronting margins of opposite sides of this diaphragm are rigid plates l9 and entirely covering the unclamped portion of the diaphragm, and which plates are recessed at their margins respectively in the body and the bonnet, and slightly hollowed out on their confronting sides as indicated at 2| and 22 conforming to and providing a maximum flexing of the diaph agm under pressure applied to either side of it. Plate 20 is imperforate, but plate 19 however, is providedwith a relatively large central aperture in which a disk 23 is movably positioned. This disk 23 bears at its upper side ,against the lower side of the diaphragm and is drilled centrally at its under side with a shallow hole in which the shank 24 of a. pin easilyfits, and the opposite end 24' of which pin bears against the upper end of valve button l2 freely within the area. of the tubular valve seat l4. Pin 24 also has laterally projecting fins '25 guided in the enlarged upper end of the tubular valve seat.

Plate 20 is preferably provided with a central finished hub 58 which fits nicely into a finished recess in the underside of the bonnet.

Between cap 4 and the bonnet is a flexible diaphragm 26 suitably sealed by one or more gasket rings 21 and clamped tightly in place by bonnet screws 1. This diaphragm covers a chamber 28 recessed into the bonnet, and separates it from a similar chamber 29 recessed into the cap 4, and the latter recess is extended as a bore through the upper end of the cap and internally threaded at 30 to receive the threaded shank or hub 3! of a handwheel .32. Below the lower end of the shank 3| is a thick disk 33 slightly rounded on its under face and supported on the upper side of diaphragm 28, while between disk 33 and handwheel shank 3| is a pressure distributing ball 34 revolvably retained in a relatively deep recessed seat 35 in the shank and bearing in a shallower seat 36 formed in the disk.

Below the diaphragm in chamber 28 is a needle valve member 31 formed with a disk-like upper the bonnet and the body of .theregulator. On

Qscrewed up tight.

end 31' rounded slightly on its outer face and bearing against the under side of diaphragm 26.

This needle valve is arranged-to close the upper end of a small drilled hole 38 which extends at several stages 39, 40, 4| to the margin of the bonnet, through the gaskets and rim of diaphragm II to the high pressure space H], while another drill hole 42 connects chamber 28 with chamber I6. Hole 39 is enlarged at 39 and extended past hole 40 to open at the outside of the bonnet and is internally threaded and fitted with a screw 43 with a soft metal gasket 44 under its head 45 so that it will seal gas tight at this point when This screw passes the point where hole 40 connects with hole 39", so that gas under high pressure from chamber III by way of passages 40 and ll in attempting to pass into passage 39" will be throttled down to the very slight clearance normally existing between the threads of screw 13 and the threads of the hole 39", so that in event handwlieel 32 were onscrewed quickly in admitting more pressure to chamber ii there would-not be'a sudden excess rush of high pressure gas to the chamber.

Means for bleeding oi! the pressure from chamber It as may be desired, is provided by a small passage 48 extending from the chamber and normaily closed at its end by a needle valve 4! at the end 01 a screw 50 threaded into a'hole ii leading to atmosphere. A large milled thumb amass:

nut'll provides for easy manual operation ofthis needle valve, and when the valve is released the gas pressure escapes by the slight. thread clearance along the screw as previously explained for screw 43.

In operation the inlet passage 8 is connected through means of a suitable coupling with a tank of high pressure gas, such as oxygen, acetylene, or

other gas as used in welding, and outlet is similarly connected to one passage oi the operating. tool. Suitable pressuregages'are or course provided between the supply tank and the regulator,

or on the supply .tank, and also between the wellasflnalseallngotthepressureagainstiurther change.

In former valves of this type the whole lower plate ll (Figure 1) was permitted to rise or tall and its entire weight carried on valve releasing pin 2! to be finally supported by spring l3, and this is avoided by my use otthe loose piece It which aids in sensitivity.

- I am aware or prior regulatorsotthis type using gas pressure above the regulating diaphragm insteadoiaspringtocontrolthepresurebutldo not know or any prior structures of this kind having the simplicity of control and insining against impairment oi bonnet pressure irom leakage, shown in this improved construction.

I therefore claim:

1. In an automatic gas pressure regulator having a flexible diaphragm exposed to a controlling gas pressure on one side for controlling the movements regulator and the tool or on the regulator open to its low pressure chamber it as is common practice. Then, by turning handwheel I to admit gas undertpressure to chamber I6 it will iind its way through the ordinary inequalities of commercial workmanship to the slight space ll above diaphragm ll until it forces the diaphragm and disk '23 down-to open valve I2, and whereupon high pres ure gas flows past this valve from chamber "until the pressure above diaphragm Ii is balanced and valve l2 closes, as well understood in the use or such regulators.

By properly manipulating handwheel I2 and relief screw 52 any desired gas pressure may be set up in chamber I6 and sealed in the bonnet by closing both valves 49 and I! to thus maintain any desired working pressure in low v pressure chamber ll.

In the modification shown in Figure 2, the honnet and main diaphragm assembly are shown detached from the body of the regulator, and the similar parts already described ior Figure 1 are given the same numerals additionally primed, and;

therefore need no further explanation.

The modified features are that the gas relief screw valve 49-52 oi Figure 1 is not used, but in of a valve for regulating gas pressure admission to the opposite side, the improvement which comprises providing a rigid plate on opposite sides 0! said diaphragm spaced to limit its movement in flexing, means moimting said plates against movement, one 0! the plates'being iniperiorate and the other only having an opening through it with a loose member therein contacting the diaphragm,

and means extended from said loose member for operating the valve, means for admitting a controlling gas under pressure behind said imperi'orate plate, and means forming a substantially closedmarginaliointaroundtheedgeotsaid imperiorate plate, but insuiilciently perfect to stop the controlling gas under pressure from passing the joint to reach said diaphragm and vice versa.

2. In an automatic gas pressure regulator having a'iiexibie diaphragm exposed to a controlling gas pressure on one side for controlling the movements 1 o! a valve ior regulating gas pressure to the opposite side, the improvement which comprises providing a rigid plate on opposite sides place of it along relief screw valve 53 is extended through an axial hole 54- in the handwheel 82' and shank II and threaded into an. axial hole in needle valvememberfl" to close oil a small hole It opening through the side of the needle valve to chamber 28'.

In order to prevent the rotation of valve member 31" when the relief screwvalve I3 is turned,

member ""is provided with a threaded shank II which extends through a central opening in,

diaphragm 26' and is firmly clamped a ai it" by a nut member 51 (which takes the place of member 33 of Figure 1) and against the upper end of which nut member the lower end of hand- I provides for admission 01' additional pressure as or said diaphragm spaced to limit its movements in flexing, one or the plates being imperiorate and the other only having an opening through it with a loose member therein contacting the diaphragm,

and means extended from said loose member 'i'o'r operating the valve, said loose member being a disk movable transversely of the plate in a hole formed therein, and the opposite imperiorate plate provided with a hub engaging a recess in the regulator structure to position the latter plate relative to the diaphragm and support it against the entire pressure in use, means for admitting a controlling gas under pressure behind. said imperiorate plate, and means forming a substantiaily closed marginal ioint'around the edge of said imperlorate plate, but insufficiently perfect to stop the controlling gas under pressure from passing the Joint to reach said diaphragm and vice versa.

3. In an automatic gas pressure. regulator having a flexible diaphragm exposed to acontrollinggas pressure on one side for controlling the movements or a valve for regulating gas pressure admission to the opposite side, the improvement which comprises providing an imperiorate rigid plate covering substantially the whole side oi said diaphragm exposed to said controlling gas'pressure and concavely dished on-said side to the form oi the diaphragm when flexed to limit its movement in' flexing, said imperi'orate plate contacting the diaphragm around its margin and provided with a central hub seated in a recess in the regulator structure for positioning the plate and preventing its movement relative to the dia- 'phragm, the marginal contact of said plate with theplate at the bonnet side of the diaphragm being 'said diaphragm being finished, but

perfect to stop gas under pressure from passing through the juncture. I

4; In an automatic gas pressure regulator having a flexible diaphragm exposed to a controlling gas pressure on one side for controlling the movements of a valve for regulating gas pressure admission to the opposite side, the improvement whichcom-, prises providing an imperforate rigid plate on the side of said main diaphragm exposed to saidcontrolling gas pressure spaced to limit its movement in flexing,'said imperforate plate covering substantially the whole area-of the diaphragm and contactinglit around its margins and provided with a. central hub on its outer side seated against the regulator structure wholly supporting the plate against pressure from the opposite side, the marginal contact of said plate with said diaphragm being finished, but insufliciently perfect to stop gas under pressure from passing through the juncture.

5. In an automatic gas pressure regulator having a diaphragm controlled valve, and a bonnet on the regulator forming with the outer side of said diaphragm a closed chamber and having apassageway for directing gas under pressure to said chamber for influencing said'diaphragm to react insufliciently 'impertorate and aflording nepassageway for gas "from within the bonnet to the "diaphragm save upon said valve, the improvement which comprises providing a pair of rigidly mounted confronting rigid plates embracing s'aid diaphragm adjacent its outer margins and both inwardly 'concavely dished to the form of the desired maximum flexing oi the diaphragm to freely permit the limited operative flexing of said diaphragm,

such as can pass through the contacting margins face inequalities of ordinary machining of the plate, the marginal contact oi said plate with said diaphragm being finished, but insufflciently perfect to stop gas under pressure from passing through the juncture. g

6. In an automatic gas pressure regulator having a diaphragm controlled valve, and a bonnet on the regulator forming with the outer side of said diaphragm a closed chamber and having a passageway for directing gas under pressure to said chamber for influencing-said diaphragm to react upon said valve, the improvement which comprises providing a pair of rigid confronting plates embracing said diaphragm adj acent its outer margins and both inwardly concavely dished to the form of the desired maximum flexing of the diaphragm to freely permit the limited operative flexing of said diaphragm, means mounting both plates rigidly against movement, the plate at the bonnet side of the diaphragm being imperforate and aflording no passageway for gas from within the bonnet to the diaphragm save such as can pass through the contacting margins of the plate and diaphragm,

and the other plate providedwith a floating central section in contact with the opposite side of said diaphragm, the marginal contact of said plate with said diaphragm being finished, but insufllciently perfect to stop gas under pressure from passing through the juncture.

LUDWIG W. S'I'E'I'I'NER.

o! the plate and diaphragm due to the slight sur- 

